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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

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Original poster

Festivals suitable for 12yr old

14 replies

Dotty342kids · 27/08/2014 16:10

Not sure if this is entirely the right place for this subject, but it seems as good a place as any!
My 11.5yr old DS loves music (mainstream stuff mostly) and is itching to go to a festival.
I've never been to one, but would like to (though do have some "issues" around the whole hygiene thing but will obviously have to get over those )
DH has no interest in festivals and DD is too young yet.
So, I'm happy to take him to one next summer when he'll be 12. I don't want to do any of the big ones eg. Reading, Glasto etc as think they'll be a bit scary and full on for us both.
But neither do I particularly want to do something like Camp Bestival which I think might be too kiddyfied.

So, am after recommendations. Happy to take our own small tent or book onsite camping. Also happy to consider something more world music / folky. Really it's all about us both being familiarish with festivals so that when he wants to go with mates when he's older he's had a bit of festival experience behind him.

Hope someone can help!

OP posts:

Chimchar · 27/08/2014 16:22

Camp bestival is suitable for littlies, but I would also say that it's a great starter festival for a pre teen.

They usually have some pretty cool acts on, which you don't generally get to see when you have small kids to entertain.

Ed sheeran was there when I went and did a few secret gigs in the woods with very small crowds.

You get the feel of a festival, but with limited drunken antics from others.

Original poster

Dotty342kids · 27/08/2014 18:49

ooh, maybe I should consider that one then. Though it is quite far from where I live and pretty expensive I gather?
Any recommendations for anything Midlands / Wilts / South Wales way?

OP posts:

whimsy12 · 27/08/2014 21:29

Cornbury Festival in Oxfordshire is a good starting point. V fam friendly and unthreatening. 3 stages. Lots of stuff for pre-teens and some decent acts. Camping or day tickets. Have never seen anyone off their heads or scary.

exexpat · 27/08/2014 21:40

The Green Man in south Wales might fit the bill - smallish, but lots going on: one main stage, big second stage in tent, several other smaller stages plus comedy/film, sciencey area, a teen area and all sorts of other stuff. Everything is within about 10 minutes' walk, so no trekking huge distances like at Glastonbury. It's very friendly, lots of families, not druggy (well, more than the odd whiff of pot smoke, but not hard stuff) and has good food. Toilets and showers are better than many festivals I've been to, and there is a family camping area if you want.

The bands are mainly in the indie/folky/international sort of area, but by no means all of them. I didn't go this year, but went for the previous 3 years (with DS aged 13/14/15 and last year also DD, 10) and bands I saw included quite big names like Metronomy and Van Morrison (Tim Minchin was another highlight), as well as up-and-coming acts, for example Alt-J were on the tent stage two years ago, not long after they released their first album, and they are now selling out stadiums.

One really good thing about Green Man is also that tickets for under 13s only cost a fiver.

I'll probably be back there next year!

lisaloulou84 · 27/08/2014 21:43

I work at festivals pretty regularly. Latitude would be my choice, they have a family camping area, or you could go boutique - have a look at pod pads I've stayed twice when working and they're great. The festival is a lot less crowded than most and probably a lot less overwhelming for a newbie and for a young boy. If you ever or separated is quite a small site with really obvious and easy meeting points. There's a lot more too it than just music too, with literary and film tents too.

Cornbury is a good suggestion too.

You could also do something like British summertime in Hyde park too and book one or two day tickets. Then you could stay in a hotel nearby and make it a family holiday, hubby and DD could go do something else for the day, it also finishes at 10.30 each night so if your in a nearby hotel it's not such a late night.

I'd avoid v fest and lovebox like the plague.

awfulomission · 27/08/2014 21:50

Bestival (not Camp Bestival) has a fun, quite poppy vibe. There is also a LOT of alternative accommodation nearby on the IoW should you not want to stay on site. It's a full on, busy festival and more mainstream than the smaller ones.

I also recommend Green Man. Good mix of ages and a very clean, laid back festival that never feels too crowded. I would disagree about the drug stuff though. Awful lot of shitfaced people about.

awfulomission · 27/08/2014 21:51

And yes, don't touch Reading/vfest/lovebox etc with a bargepole.

Original poster

Dotty342kids · 28/08/2014 08:32

Oh, this is great thank you! I'd definitely considered Green Man as we only live an hour or so away so good to hear that it's recommended. I'm not bothered about the drugs side of things as it provides a good opportunity to discuss these things !
Will also look at Latitude and Cornbury, thank you.

Anyone been to the Larmer Tree festival? Someone suggested that one to me but would be interested to hear any experiences as don't know that much about it.

OP posts:

Fatgirlnomore · 28/08/2014 08:35

Two words.

Larmer Tree.

The best festival for that age dc. Fantastic music, good toilets. It is not very big but big enough to be interesting.

My dc love the workshops and it feels very safe so you can let them go off to stalls etc by themselves and give them a bit of freedom.

Fatgirlnomore · 28/08/2014 08:37

Cross posts !

We have been to a few festivals and the Larmer Tree is by far our favourite as it has a wonderful atmosphere. It is the 25th one in 2015 so I expect it will be a good one.

Fatgirlnomore · 28/08/2014 08:43

My dc went to the Youth Zone at the larmer tree this year which do activities for 12- 16 year olds and they really enjoyed it.

HalfSpamHalfBrisket · 28/08/2014 08:46

Beautiful Days also a good smallish festival to try - it's at Escot just outside Honiton.

Original poster

Dotty342kids · 28/08/2014 08:59

Am now on mailing lists for Green Man and cornbury (Latitude too far away sadly) and will look at Larmer Tree / Beautiful days

OP posts:

Hulababy · 28/08/2014 10:44

We took 12y DD and her friend to CarFest North this year which they really enjoyed. Decent bands/grounds and a busy atmosphere, but not too big and still family friendly - felt safe enough to let the two off on their own with a meet up place and time a short while later (mobiles had little network and no charge)

Have also been to Wychwood before when she was a bit younger which is very safe and family friendly, but stuff for all ages. Its a fair bit smaller.

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